PCANT Handbook
EDITION ONE 2006

Part 18: EVENTING RULES

Section 18.01 THE COMPETITION
The rules for Eventing competitions will be the EFA rules, with the following adjustments / additions. These rules may be downloaded from the EFA website at www.efanational.com.au
The competition is comprised of three tests, each of which must be completed by the competitor; Test 1: Dressage Test 2: Cross Country Test 3: Show Jumping
Note: How much below is standard EFA? - can remove it from handbook

Section 18.02 ORDER OF TESTS
The dressage must always be held first. The order of the Cross Country and Show Jumping phases is optional but must be clearly stated in the schedule and the programme.
The programme must provide for competitors to have an interval of thirty minutes between completion of one test and the start of the next. When Show Jumping takes place after Cross Country, competitors must be allowed an interval of forty minutes between the tests. In exceptional circumstances, the Pony Club Steward may authorise a reasonable reduction in these minimum levels.
When the Show Jumping phase is held before the Cross Country phase, a rider eliminated in Show Jumping may, at the discretion of the Organising Committee, still complete the Cross Country phase.

Section 18.03 DRESS, SADDLERY AND EQUIPMENT
Refer to PCANT General Rules and competition schedules

18.03.01 SADDLERY
Refer to PCANT General Rules - an English saddle must be used.

18.03.02 COMPETITOR NUMBERS
Each combination is issued with a number for easy identification. Rider must wear their number in front and on their backs whilst competing in all phases. All Pony Club and Adult riders must supply a plastic body number casing.

18.03.03 MEDICAL INFORMATION
Wearing medical information is compulsory for the Cross-country phase. Information may be worn either in an armband correctly in place on the arm OR in a clear plastic attachment sewn onto the bottom of their body number holder (front and back). All relevant details must be completed, and be updated by the competitor on a regular basis.

Section 18.04 COMBINATIONS
All mounts and riders (combinations) must be qualified. Details of qualification requirements are contained in PCANT General Rules.
A competitor may ride a maximum of two horses in each grade. A third horse may be ridden HC at the discretion of the organisers. Info re special permission to ride for another club to be included - depends on earlier decisions

Section 18.05 JUDGES
The organiser appoints the judges for each test in the competition.
1 DRESSAGE - There should be two judges for each class or section.
2 CROSS COUNTRY - There must be a chief Cross Country judge, who may be the organiser, to supervise the jump judges, the time keepers and the scorers.
3 SHOWJUMPING - There must be one judge, appointed by the organising body.
4 NT CHAMPIONSHIPS - For PCANT competitions there must be two judges for the Dressage phase and one judge for the Show Jumping phase. The PCANT Executive must approve these judges or such body approved by the PCANT Executive.

Section 18.06 DRESSAGE PHASE
18.06.01 RULES
The dressage tests used will be taken from the current EFA list.

18.06.02 TESTS
The dressage tests to be used for each grade are determined each year at the Annual General Meeting of the Pony Club Association of the Northern Territory Inc.

18.06.03 PENALTIES
Refer to current dressage tests.
Average percentage for the competitor is obtained by adding together the percentage for each judge and dividing by the number of judges always rounding the result to two decimal digits.
In order to convert average percentage into penalty points, this must be subtracted from 100 and multiplied by 1.5 with the resultant figure rounded to two decimal places. The result is the score in penalty points for the test.

Section 18.07 CROSS-COUNTRY PHASE
18.07.01 Jumps
The jumps will be in accordance with the following guidelines:

Maximum depth of "coffin" type obstacles in grades 4 and 5 shall be limited to 20 cm. Grade 5 may pass through water but must not be asked to jump into water.
Brush fences, bull finches, etc. may exceed the maximum height only provided that the solid art of the obstacle, below which a horse cannot pass through with impunity, does not exceed the maximum height In the case of brush fences only, the overall height will not exceed the regulation maximum by more than 15 cm.

18.07.02 SPEED
The Time Allowed and Minimum Time for completing the course are calculated at the following speeds (in metres per minute). The time limit is always twice the Time Allowed.

NT ODE championships will have a minimum of 20% of fences at maximum height.
The organisers will appoint a steward to observe the finish and report to the Pony Club Steward. The Pony Club Steward will eliminate any rider for blatantly wasting time in the latter stages of the course in order to compensate for excessive speed in the earlier parts of the course.

18.07.03 PENALTIES
The following penalties apply:
First refusal, run out, circle of horse at obstacle - 20 penalties.
Second refusal, run out, circle of horse at the same obstacle - 40 penalties.
Third refusal, run out, circle of horse at the same obstacle - Elimination
Fall of rider - 65 penalties.
Second fall of rider on the cross country - Elimination.
Fall of horse - Elimination
Error of course not rectified - Elimination.
Errors of course include:
a) Omission of obstacle or boundary flag,
b) Retaking an obstacle already jumped (except where part of a combination),
c) Jumping obstacle in the wrong order.
For every commenced second over the Time Allowed - 0.4 penalty.
Speeding penalties (per second under minimum time) - 2 penalties.
Exceeding Time Limit - Elimination.
Fourth refusal on course - Elimination

18.07.04 DEFINITION OF FAULTS
The FEI has brought in new rules related to refusals. The PCANT has decided as an interim measure to remain with the old rule until clarification of the new rules is available. The old rule states:
A horse is considered to have refused if it stops in front of the obstacle to be jumped. A stop, followed immediately by a standing jump, is not penalised. The horse may step sideways but if the horse steps back even a single pace, voluntarily or not, or if the halt is prolonged, this constitutes a refusal.

18.07.05 ELIMINATED RIDERS
Any rider eliminated on the cross-country phase must leave the course at a walk.

18.07.06 CLASS INDICATORS
For the convenience of competitors when they are inspecting the course, coloured indicators are used to mark the obstacles for different classes.
Black numbers on: Grade I: Yellow Grade II: Red Grade III: White Grade IV: Pink Grade V: Blue
The use of these colours is compulsory for the marking of the course for the NT Championship and should be adopted for all other events. Where more than one class rides over the same course, every obstacle must be defined with an appropriate class indicator at each end, one of which must be marked with the obstacle number for that class. Recommended minimum size of numbers and backing: Number 150 mm high by 20mm thick on a 200mm by 250 mm base.

18.07.07 METHOD OF STARTING
In order to simplify the task of the starter for the Cross Country, an enclosure five by five metres may be built with an open front through which horses will start and a gap in one or both sides through which the horse may enter. A "starters box" is optional for Pony Club events.
Horses must be prevented from leaving the start while medical personnel are treating injured riders unless there is no likelihood of danger to the personnel involved or to other riders. Organising committees must ensure that procedures are established prior to the event for the stopping and starting of horses from the Start box. The Cross country coordinator must make all decisions for stopping and starting or Pony Club steward and arrangements must be made for efficient communications between them and the start officials.

Section 18.08 SHOWJUMPING PHASE
18.08.01 RULES
The jumping test consists of one round of the course judged under the rules of the FEI Table A except where modified below. There is no jump off.

18.08.02 COURSE
The course will be simple and straightforward, with easy intervals between the obstacles and will be laid out over a distance of not more than 750 metres.
The course will be available for inspection at least half an hour before the start of the test at which time the plan of the course showing the time allowed must be posted.
Before the commencement of each Class a break of 10 minutes minimum should be allowed for competitors to walk the course.
There will be between 9 and 12 numbered obstacles, 50% of which shall be at maximum height and at least four of which shall be spread, as solid and imposing in appearance as available materials allow. At least one, but no more than two, double or treble shall be included. No obstacle will exceed the following dimensions (in metres):

The Time Allowed for completing the course is calculated using the speeds above. The Time Limit is twice the Time Allowed.

18.08.03 PENALTIES
Reducing the height or width of an obstacle, touching boundary mark of water or feet in water or in the ditch - 4 penalties.
First disobedience (refusal) in whole test - 4 penalties.
Second disobedience (refusal) in whole test - 8 penalties.
Third disobedience (refusal) in whole test - Elimination.
Fall of horse - Elimination.
First fall of rider - 8 penalties.
Second fall of rider - Elimination.
Error of course not rectified - Elimination.
Errors of course are: Omission of an obstacle;
Retaking an obstacle already jumped; or
Jumping obstacle in the wrong order.
For every commenced second over Time Allowed - 1 penalty.
Exceeding Time Limit - Elimination.

Section 18.09 SCORING
The same horse and rider combination must complete all three tests mounted and elimination from one test involves elimination from the whole competition. The classification is reached by adding together the entire penalty marks incurred in the different tests.
IN THE EVENT OF A TIE
The winner is the competitor with the lowest total of penalty marks. In the case of a tie, the winner is the combination with the best Cross Country score (total of jumping and time penalties). If there is still a tie, the combination is the one whose cross country time is closest to optimum time. Finally if there is still equality, the winner is the combination with the best dressage score. This principle also applies to tied minor placegetters.

18.09.01 TEAM COMPETITIONS
There is a club team competition based on the total points scored by all riders placed first to sixth in each of the grades.
Points are as follows, regardless of grade:
1st Place 5 points
2nd = 4
3rd = 3
4th = 2
5th = 1
Enter info re the makeup of a team once established

Section 18.10 GRADING

18.10.01 GRADING POINTS
For all grades, the same as Showjumping - 1st = 5pts, 2nd = 4pts,3rd = 3pts, 4th = 2pts and 5th = 1pt
Internal Club events are not to be used for grading. Open and NT Pony Club events only are graded.
No grading points shall be awarded to any combination which incurs more than forty Cross Country jumping penalties. If there are less than 6 competitors in a class, placing points need not be accepted. If there are 6 to 10 competitors in a class, riders must accept placing points for 1st to 3rd places only. In Grade 5, stars need not be accepted if less than 10 entries in a class.

18.10.02 GRADINGS
Horses are graded as follows:
Grade 1 - Horses which have been awarded a total of at least 60 points at official Pony Club Horse Trials.
Grade 2 - Horses which have been awarded between 42 and 60pts
Grade 3 - Horses which have been awarded between 24 and 42pts
Grade 4 - Horses which have been awarded between 12 and 24pts
Grade 5 - Horses which have been awarded 12 pts or lower, as per the Showjump grading system E grade

14.40 EFFECT OF ENTRY IN NT CHAMPIONSHIPS
Once a combination has competed in any phase of a Pony Club NT Championship ODE they are automatically graded with the grade in which they competed, and are allocated the minimum points for that grade.

Back to Handbook Index >>